


With Blossoms and Fruit

by KriKee



Category: Naruto
Genre: A real tag, Canon Compliant, Completely friend-indulgent, FIRE COUNTRY WOULD HAVE INDIAN SUMMERS, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hey look at that, I don't expect anyone else but her to read it tbh, I wrote this for a friend, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kidfic, a few dirty jokes if you look, can be compliant with awintersrose's Clandestine Joys series, fight me on this, fyi heatwaves in October exist: they're called Indian Summers, giftfic, humid muggy heatwaves are the worst, kids dealing with difficult topics, mostly poignant and bittersweet really, no seriously, so if you're reading say hi or something, trust me on this, wrote it for her and I'm not saying it again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-05 21:00:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14626944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KriKee/pseuds/KriKee
Summary: Heatwaves suck, everyone in Konoha agrees, but Orochimaru's been acting a bit weird even for that. His friends investigate.





	With Blossoms and Fruit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [awintersrose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/awintersrose/gifts).



> A/N: For Rose. All my thoughts and best wishes for you. Always.

Silence hangs heavy within and without; the freakish heatwave choking Konoha had arrived three weeks ago and, like an unwelcome relative who ignored all your hints, lingered. The entire village was sapped; the leaves drooped on Grandfather’s trees, civilians sloped under their umbrellas from store to store in early afternoon or late evening, the hospital had cases of dehydration and heat exhaustion from so many genin that they’d issued a moratorium on any intense physical exercise, which just meant long hours of theory and cold practise.

Jounin and chuunin were fighting lethargically over who got the missions to Uzushio, Kiri, River - anywhere but Fire Country; all of them too drained to use cooling techniques for more than an hour or two at a time now. One of the Hyuuga had been hospitalised for getting a rare mission in Frost Country. Sensei had to provide a bonus to get people to go to Suna which strangled under a worse heatwave than Konoha. Even Tora the demon cat hadn’t tried to run away for over a week.

Tsunade moans and flops backwards. Jiraiya grunts and shoves feebly at her head, “Get off my stomach,” but makes no other move. 

“No. You’re soft.” she mumbles. 

“Get off.”

“No.”

“Get off hime!”

“No.” 

“Hime.”They bicker until the thick, damp heat drew even that from them and they lag by fits and starts into silence. Alas, Jiraiya always did recover his stamina quickly. “Hey, you think anyone but Oro-bastard’s enjoying this?” 

Tsunade hums and tilts her head to peer up at Jiraiya. “What?”

“Oro-bastard’s been loving this weather.”

She smiles faintly, “Yeah, sunbathing all the time and napping and being late for training.” She plucks a blade of glass and twirls it. She feeds the tiniest mote of chakra into it and flings it straight up into the branch above her where it shudders and sticks. “That was weird, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, sensei’s face when Oro was late was fantastic. I wish we’d had a camera to catch it.”

Tsunade giggles, “I thought you were gonna pee, Raiya!” She turns over and plants her elbows on his stomach and lies down. “That’s better. He’s been late a lot everywhere though; sleeping loads too.”

He props himself up on the tree and pulls grass and tiny bits of bark out of his mop of hair. “Everyone’s been sleeping lots though.”

“Yeah, but it’s Oro and he doesn’t do sleep.”

“So he’s catching up.” he reasons.

She sighs and thumps her head down on his gut. He grunts and pokes her again. “Maybe, but he’s late and ignoring us too. He’s never done that before except when science happened and he forgot everything, including food and sleep,” she says

“You think he’s stuck in science again and needs a rescue.”

Tsunade shrugs. “It feels strange. And, you know...” It’s still so hard to bring up, the words twisting and catching in her throat like razor wire or the choking tag Gran had taught them all last week when Nawaki was down for a nap. “It’s his first birthday without them in a few months.”

Jiraiya’s face darkens, drops into a frown. He picks his earlobe. “I was gonna invite him and you for a sleepover to keep him company.” A rapid headshake. “Let’s go see him, yeah?”

For all their newfound resolve, it takes almost a quarter of an hour to get from Tsunade’s little private garden to the main house. “Gran, me and Raiya are going to Oro’s, okay?”

She rocks Nawaki and her arms and whispers, “Be back by bedtime if you’re going to eat out. There’s some food in the fridge to give to Orochimaru; he’s looking a bit worn down in this weather.” With a promise and a kiss to her new baby brother, they grab the little box of food and head off to Oro’s.

The minute they enter the forest surrounding Oro’s family lands the heat becomes a stifling dead weight that draws sweat from them in seconds. “Oro’s been sleeping in this?!” Jiraiya moans, “No wonder he’s napping all around the training grounds and by the river.”

“He can come stay at mine. Gran’s seals keep the house cooler at night.”

“Wish they worked in the day too; stupid seals counter-reacting under the sun.” he mutters. 

“But you need the base symbol for the repelling force in the counter-measure and because of the twinned mirrors, sun plus sunburst bordered by mirrors equals fire. Or explosions.”

“But it must be flawed because that counter-measure is a standard and none of the other base symbols react the same way when exposed to that element!” he argues, “I’m going to make that seal sequence perfect.”

“Gran’d help, but Nawaki.”

“I can do it on my own.” he declares loftily.

They round the last corner of the path and stop dead to gape. “Fuck.” Jiraiya whispers. The garden is an ugly brown, flowers sickly and ugly on the stems, his tiny vegetable garden full of blown cabbage, rabe and his other green things. They hurry to his door. A rank smell malingers around the garden, thin and pungent, sickly sweet. 

Jiraiya detours over and wrinkles his nose. “His berries are gross and rotting on the bushes. Some other things too.” He jogs back to her and scratches his nose. His face is serious, brows a straight line and his lips downturned. “Something’s really wrong, hime.”

She snorts, but there’s no heart in it. Tsunade thumps on the door. “Oro! Oro!” Silence. Were it not for the sour cherry sting of his chakra against hers she’d think he wasn’t in. 

“I’ll come in Oro!” Jiraiya threatens. 

Orochimaru opens the door seconds later with a furious scowl, “Don’t!” 

Tsunade goes cold. For all his scowl, his eyes are empty. “Oro, what’s wrong?”

He slips out the house, sandals in hand, and locks the door behind him, “Nothing.” He smiles, but it’s too sharp. “Did I miss something?”

Jiraiya stares and points at the garden. “Oro, your things.” he gets out through the shock at the stonewalling.

He nods. “The heat killed them.”

“You didn’t pick the fruit or veggies to take it in so it wouldn’t spoil!” Tsunade argues, “You don’t forget things like that! Of course something’s wrong.”

Jiraiya nods, “And you’re late a lot and sleeping all the time.” He crosses his arms, “And maybe it is just the heat because this place is dying of all the heat and being all around with trees, but you can come stay with me or hime until the weather’s gone back to normal.”

Orochimaru’s eyes widen and he takes in a sharp breath “No!” He presses hard against the door and seizes the doorknob in a white-knuckled grip. 

Tsunade bites her lip, “But it’s so hot. Don’t you want to go somewhere cooler?”

“I don’t want to leave my home.” He is paler, breathing faster, but there’s no threat around to react to, unless, but no. 

She has to ask. “Oro, are you scared of us?”

Both the boys give her a deadpan look. “No.” Orochimaru says. “Why ask something so stupid?” He looks pointedly from Jiraiya to her and back. “You two are a little bigger, barely, but I’m faster and smarter. And we’re friends.” 

Jiraiya shakes his head and leans back against the fencing surrounding the genkan. “Just like you to mention the most important thing last instead of first.” He drags Tsunade into a sideways hug, “And we’re the best friends you’ll ever have too ‘cause we’re the best people in the world!”

Tsunade sighs and kicks him “Modesty is a foreign word to you, isn’t it?” 

He doesn’t even wince, she’ll have to start kicking harder if he’s gotten used to her. At least Oro’s smart enough to not get hit; Jiraiya just takes it. “What? We’re not awesome? We don’t have to be modest if it’s just a fact.”

Orochimaru smirks. It’s real and his eyes are bright and he stands tall. The tightness in her stomach eases and she leans against Jiraiya. He squeezes her shoulder and lets go. 

“Well, Tsuna and I might be wonderful, but you’re...passable at best.”

He beams. “Oh Oro, I didn’t know you loved me that way!” He bats his lashes and pucks up his lips making a gross kissy face. She bursts out laughing.

Oro flushes bright red. He turns his head sharply and glares through his hair. “I never said that! Stop being weird.” He leans forwards, leans back and takes a half step forward; all undecided and not knowing what to do.

“You love me Oro-chan! It’s okay; for I am a strong and hearty boy and I’m here to listen to your delicate love confession with compassion and honour!” he proclaims as he thumps his heart and strikes a stupid manly pose. 

Jiraiya steps forward and she topples on the floor laughing fit to burst. The boys don’t even look at her and through her tears she just about makes out Jiraiya moving in with puckered lips. 

Oro knees him in the gut. Jiraiya doubles over with an unhealthy wheeze. Tsunade gives in entirely and howls with laughter, “Stop! I’m gonna pee!”

Oro stands above the two of them with glowing eyes. “My love confession isn’t delicate, and you’re not strong or hearty.”

Tsunade shoves Jiraiya off her. “He’s a moron. Your love confession will be as cool as you are, but when we’re older. We three won’t all be eight ‘til Jiraiya’s birthday next month. All that love stuff is gross.” She catches her lower lip between her teeth, “You going to be okay on your birthday?”

And just like that his eyes empty. “It’s fine.” he says flat as a blade.

She steps back. “It’s not Oro. Your garden. Your smile. You’re not happy.”

He crosses his arms and looks down “And?” 

Jiraiya struggles to his feet. “Oro, we just want you happy. Come sleep with us for your birthday?”

“That’ll help?” he asks, soft and like he’s not quite there. Maybe he’s not even seeing them any more.

“You shouldn’t be alone Oro.” Jiraiya says. “At least some company is better than being without them and at home.” 

Orochimaru shrugs. As one they step closer, but stop. How can they make this better? His parents are dead and apart from them and a few adults he holds away from him, he doesn’t have anyone. Jiraiya tilts his head in their friend’s direction and holds his hands out. 

She nods and they hug him. He freezes, but doesn’t fight. She hugs him harder, pulling Jiraiya into the hug too and he responds the same way, squeezing around them both tight. Oro shudders and the hardness seeps away as he sags into their hold.

“It’s not going to make me happy.” he mutters in defeat. His arms wraps around them slowly. “They’re all gone.”

“You don’t have to be.” Tsunade says, “Just with someone so you don’t have to be sad alone and forget to look after your garden and sleep lots.”

“Mama said once that having people love you lots makes you strong, and loving people so much it hurts makes you brave. We can be strong and brave together when we’re sad too, yeah?”

“Better than what Grandfather’d say. Trees turn into skeletons in winter, but it’s only a little death and after the sad, cold winter is over they show how much love they have for the world and how much they’re loved for by their friends and kin that it turns into life: leaves and flowers and fruit. Pretty stupid way to say what Jiraiya’s mum says though.”

“Maybe.” he says softly. “We don’t have to do anything though? I can’t.”

“We can sit and read somewhere.” Jiraiya says.

“Or wait a little bit and ask Gran to do a special seal on my bedroom to make it colder so we can nap. One room for a little bit won’t make it explode.” she reasons.

“Reading is good.” he whispers. “At yours Tsuna?” 

“Anything Oro.” she promises. 

Jiraiya lets go and takes Oro’s hand “C’mon bastard. Let’s go. We’ll get some books from hime’s. Maybe we can even sneak books out of your beloved Nidaime-sama’s old office to read!” 

“He’s noy my beloved.” Oro protests.

“You totally think he’s awesome though,” Jiraiya starts in. Tsunade shakes her head and looks down at the abandoned food box. Looks like Oro’ll be having dinner at hers and he can take the box home later. 

She drags the box into her arms and darts off “Hey, wait up!” As the three enter the wooded path a shy breeze rustles the trees.

**Author's Note:**

> The butchered quotes were:  
> “Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.”— Kahlil Gibran  
> “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”— Lao Tzu


End file.
